Synopsis:
This is the sequel to the 2002 film Lilo & Stitch. The following is from the DVD cover:

“The unforgettable story of Stitch and Lilo continues in Disney’s hilarious all-new movie Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch. Your favorite characters return in this heartwarming comedy about bringing friends and family together even when they seem worlds apart.

Before the other 625 experiments land in Hawaii, Stitch is living the good life. He helps Lilo follow in the footsteps of her mother as she prepares for the big island hula contest, but when Stitch gets a glitch, their perfect world goes haywire. Now it’s going to take Lilo, Nani, Jumba, and a whole lotta “Ohana” for them to save their funny little friend.

With three classic Elvis Presley songs and exclusive bonus material, Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch is a whole new wave of fun and excitement for the entire family.”

Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch is rated PG for some mild action.

The Movie:
If you liked Lilo & Stitch, then there’s a pretty good chance you’re going to enjoy Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch. Quite often Disney animated sequels are weak copies of their original animated films, but this one manages to capture a lot of what made the first one special. There is still Elvis music. There’s is still a wicked sense of humor and mischievous characters. There is still a big emphasis on “ohana”, or family. It’s not quite as good as the first Lilo & Stitch film, but my kids and I all found it very entertaining. (It’s worth noting that this film takes place between the first L&S film and Stitch: The Movie. There are no experiment cousins in this movie, much to my kid’s disappointment.)

The animation in Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch is almost on par with the Disney theatrical films. Frequently Disney goes the cheap route on their animated sequels and it shows on the screen, but that’s not the case this time around. The animation here is better than what is seen in the Lilo & Stitch TV series.

The story is also pretty good. It delves a little bit into Stitch’s origins and shows how he was created. The film is also jam packed with jokes that made even me laugh. In one scene Lilo is waiting for a sign from Elvis as to what she should base her hula dance on. When a chicken walks by, she says, “That’s it! Elvis is telling me to make the hula a chicken dance!” There’s a beat, and Stitch calmly puts his paw on her leg and says seriously, “No. No he isn’t.” It ends up being quite funny. There are little clever beats like this throughout the film. Unfortunately, the ending seems like a ripoff of E.T. and it ends up hurting the overall film. Otherwise it’s an enjoyable experience.

All of the voice cast from Lilo & Stitch return in top form except for one notable exception. Daveigh Chase is now replaced by Dakota Fanning in the role of Lilo. I could tell the character’s voice was different when I first heard it, but it didn’t take long to get over that and buy Fanning as Lilo. She still has her attitude, sass, and temper tantrums. She’s a good replacement.

Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch features more great music including a lot of Elvis’ lesser known hits. They include I Need Your Love Tonight, Rubberneckin’, and Little Less Conversation. There’s also a more Hawaiian song called He Mankana Ke Aloha (A Gift of Love) that is quite good. Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride from the first movie is also reprised.

The Extras:
There are a few bonus features included on this DVD. Here are the highlights:

Bonus Animated Short: “The Origin of Stitch” – This video runs less than 5 minutes, but it covers a little more of the origin of Stitch. They show a few of the aliens that Jumba based Stitch on including some sort of alien booger eater and snot sucker. Jumba also shows a few never-before-seen alien cousins from the Lilo & Stitch series. The animation is an odd combination of hand drawn animation and something that looks like Flash animation. It ends up being another interesting chapter in the Stitch series.

“Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride” music video by Jump 5 – This is a remake of the song from the first film. The video features Jump 5, the Disney pop band, frolicking on the beach while singing the song. I personally liked the original version better.

Where’s Pleakley? Set-Top Game – This is a kind of “Where’s Waldo” game featuring Pleakley that you can play along or with friends. Jumba hosts it.

Jumba’s Experiment Profiler – In this game you pick which Stitch cousin is most appropriate for a particular job. The footage actually shows new cousins from the upcoming season of the Lilo & Stitch TV series. This made my daughter who is a fan of the show quite happy.

The Bottom Line:
Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch should please fans of the original film. Not only is it better than an average Disney animated sequel, but it is fun for both kids and adults.